Javier Bardem and his co-star are brilliant as the duelling pair at the heart of a dread-packed psychological drama – where evil lurks in plain sightThe 1991 revenge thriller Cape Fear boasts many famous moments. A teddy bear rigged with fishing wire. A drowning man speaking in tongues. But the image I cannot shake is the back of a sailboat, piloted by a lawyer who is being hounded by Max Cady, a rapist he once sent to jail. The boat is called Moana. It makes sense – throughout Polynesia, moana means “ocean”. However, watching now, I can’t help but wonder if the Rock is going to appear and save the day with his magical pec tattoo.Martin Scorsese’s classic was a remake of a 1962 film, which was based on a 1957 novel. Recycling IP can feel depressing, but Cape Fear always stirs the pot. The 60s film, starring Gregory Peck as a morally upright man tormented by a senselessly evil one, had a Book of Job mystery to it. Scorsese’s version introduced sympathy for the devil, and a jaundiced view of its protagonist: a lawyer who buries evidence that might exonerate his client, whom he believes should go to jail. The high-water mark, though, is probably Cape Feare, the Simpsons parody featuring Sideshow Bob. (Best. Episode. Ever.) Continue reading...

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/may/30/cape-fear-amy-adams-is-incredible-in-this-twisty-remake-of-the-classic-scorsese-thriller